What Scandalous Thing Have You Done?
So yesterday we suggested that simply reaching people who don't go to church by nature is scandalous. The very thought of reaching non churched people can offend Christians. It's not we intend to offend, but the Bible suggests we just will. Religious people get upset when non-religious people become the goal of a mission.
Today I'd love to switch gears and ask: of all the things you've done to reach outsiders, which have been some of the best ideas, and how might they have offended people?
Here's a quick survey with a few things we've tried:
- We meet in movie theaters (in part its just practical - it fits us for now). Some Christians left because they can't worship in a movie theater. Some non-Christians come because it's in a movie theater and not in a church. For the record, we just keep pointing them all to Jesus. (It's not about a movie theater.)
- On Easter 2008, we tattooed a person live on stage. It was to make the point from Acts 17 that all of us - even non-Christians - have a notion of God imprinted on our hearts. A handful of Christians left our church over it. Some non-Christians said it made them want to come back. The tattoo artist himself hadn't been to church for years. He was very suspicious of church. He said it was a great experience and impacted him deeply spiritually. He was surprised a group of Christians accepted invited him in.
- We opened Christmas Eve 09 with Led Zeppelin's Rock and Roll to try to break up the sacharine expectations around Christmas. No one left. Everybody liked it and thought it was funny. Clearly not edgy enough. :0)
We've done quite a few other things that have ruffled feathers (some male band members dressed up as Beyonce <not sure we'd do that one again, or would we?>, we gave away Starbucks cards to people who brought their friends <we'll do that again>), all in the desire to see non-churched people move into a growing relationship with Jesus.
What have you done? Or maybe more interestingly, what do you wish you would have done? What was the reaction or what feared reaction kept you from doing it?
Recently our Christmas service was designed for the churched to invited the unchurched. The fifteen minutes prior to the service beginning involved my friend and I welcoming the crowd. We showed a funny video, had an interactive game, then did our version of the “Who’s on first?” routine. A few people left, and some complained that comedy bits have no place in the church service. Not sure if they left the church over it, but they did walk out of service.
Isn’t that amazing…. Well, cheers for trying Chris!
Once a month, we don’t have a worship service. Instead we go out into the community where the unchurched are and be the church there. Recent places we’ve been: helping out at the City’s Terry Fox Run by manning the water stations, provided free hot chocolate at the Santa Claus Parade, organized food drives, visit local nursing homes, had a booth at the local flea market. Positive response from majority of our people; but a few of the Christians have left because they think we shouldn’t be doing these things on a Sunday. GREAT receptiveness from the community (the unchurched) which really is why we do what we do!
wow aimee! totally love that idea. would love to get outside the walls of our church more.